Medeia Csoba DeHass

Dr. Medeia Csoba DeHass is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Missouri and a doctoral faculty member at the MU Institute for Data Science and Informatics. She leads the 3D Heritage Informatics Lab, focusing on Indigenous data governance and ethical applications of digital technologies in heritage preservation. Her research emphasizes collaboration with Alaska Native communities in the Bering Strait region, particularly using 3D modeling and LiDAR for cultural heritage stewardship.

Education: Ph.D. in Anthropology (University of Alaska Fairbanks), M.A. in History and Cultural Anthropology (Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest). Former roles include NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at Dartmouth College, Assistant Professor at University of Alaska Anchorage, and Visiting Scientist at the Arctic Remote and Cold Territories Interdisciplinary Center (ARCTICenter).

Research interests include Indigenous data sovereignty, digital heritage preservation ethics, and the intersection of geospatial technologies with Indigenous knowledge systems. She has secured major grants including the NSF CAREER Award and National Park Service funding for projects like 3D documentation of fossil sites at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.

Awards:

• NSF CAREER Grant (2020s)

Her teaching focuses on decolonizing methodologies, digital heritage preservation, and research design. Current projects include translational research integrating geospatial and Indigenous perspectives for ethical data praxis, and collaborative frameworks for 3D technology use in heritage preservation.